Sticky Rice Balls with Peanuts are easy and fun to make and the perfect snack or dessert! Sweet, chewy, and generously coated with ground peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, they're seriously addictive!
Every time I shop for ingredients at our neighborhood Asian supermarket, I always pick up a pack or two of sticky rice balls with peanuts, or what they call Tong But Luck in Cantonese, to go. I love snacking on these sweet and chewy glutinous balls and can't resist popping one after the other; they rarely make it home.
Fortunately, I can satisfy my cravings without an inconvenient drive to the store as they are so easy to make and take just a few minutes to pull together.
Ingredient notes
Similar to our Filipino palitaw, these sweet rice balls are made by combining glutinous rice flour with water to form a dough, which is then shaped into balls and cooked in boiling water until they float. Instead of grated coconut, however, Tong But Luck are coated with ground peanuts, sesame seeds, and sugar for a delightful crunch, aroma, and sweetness.
How to make sticky rice balls with peanuts
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Combine the toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
- Make the dough. Place glutinous rice flour in a bowl and slowly add water. Combine until soft and pliable. Knead dough until no longer sticky.ย
- Shape the dough into small balls. Portion about 1 teaspoonful and between palm of hands, roll into 1-inch balls. Cover the formed balls with a damp cloth to prevent from drying out.
- Cook the balls. Bring about 4 to 5 inches of water to a boil in a deep pot and add the glutinous dough balls in batches as needed. Once they rise to the surface, they're done. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water right away to keep from over-cooking and drain well to prevent from wetting the peanut coating.
- Roll in the peanut mixture, pressing down peanuts to fully coat. Let them cool just enough to touch and begin immediately to roll in the ground peanuts as they'll coat better when still warm.
Cooking tip
- I use 1 cup of water to 2 cups of flour ratio which I find yields the chewy texture I like. The mixture will look dry at first, but keep on mixing with your hands until it gathers into a smooth, soft, and pliable dough.
- If the dough still feels a little dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time. If it's too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time.
How to serve
- These glutinous rice balls are delicious as a midday snack or after-meal dessert. Pair with icy cold calamansi juice or hot tsokolate for the ultimate treat!
- They're best enjoyed at room temperature, but you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for longer life. Expect change in texture as the balls tend to harden when cold and the peanuts lose crunch over time.
- If refrigerated, warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds or until softened.
More sticky rice treats
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 cup ground peanuts
- ยฝ cup sugar
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup water
- water for boiling
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, toast sesame seeds, stirring frequently, for about 30 to 45 seconds or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a bowl, combine toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a bowl, place glutinous rice flour and slowly add water. Combine to form a soft, pliable dough. Knead dough until no longer sticky.ย
- Portion about 1 teaspoonful and between palm of hands, roll into 1-inch balls. Repeat with remaining dough. While working, cover the formed balls with a damp cloth to prevent from drying out.
- In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 to 5 inches deep of water to a boil. Add balls and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they float to the top. Do not overcrowd the pot, cook in batches as needed.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove rice balls from the pot using a slotted spoon, shaking off excess liquid.
- Roll balls in the peanut mixture, pressing down peanuts to fully coat.
Notes
- I use 1 cup of water to 2 cups of flour ratio which I find yields the chewy texture I like. The mixture will look dry at first but keep on mixing with your hands until it gathers into a smooth, soft, and pliable dough.
- Once the balls rise to the surface, they're done. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water right away to keep from over-cooking and drain well to prevent from wetting the peanut coating.
- Let them cool just enough to touch and begin immediately to roll in the ground peanuts as they'll coat better when still warm.
- Nutritional info calculated at 2 pieces per serving.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Sandra says
What is your nutritional information by ie slice, 100gm or other
Anamarie Fox says
Are these like the lohua, ampao mani thatโs hollow in the middle?
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Anamarie,
No, they're not hollow in the middles. I think I've had the ones you are referring too and these sticky balls are different. ๐
Jo Anne says
Can these be made ahead of time?
Lalaine says
Yes, you can make them ahead of time but their texture will change when refrigerated. I usually like to microwave them for a few seconds to soften up again as they tend to harden when cold.
Cris Anne Perez says
Sounds yummy and easy to make. And did I mention they're really cute? I'll make a batch of these lovely balls this week. Thanks for sharing! ๐
Lalaine says
Yes, they're super cute and super yummy ๐ I hope you give them a try ๐